Staff Picks
DiandraUpstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies
J.B. West
J. B. West, chief usher of the White House, directed the operations and maintenance of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and coordinated its daily life at the request of the president and his family. He directed state functions; planned parties, weddings and funerals, gardens and playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and, with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home. For twenty-eight years, first as assistant to the chief usher, then as chief usher, he witnessed national crises and triumphs, and interacted daily with six consecutive presidents and first ladies, as well as their parents, children and grandchildren, and houseguests including friends, relatives, and heads of state.
Beginning with the Roosevelts and ending with the Nixons, Upstairs at the White House is full of interesting stories about the lives of the first ladies and their families. Recommended for readers interested in gaining a peek into the personalities of the first ladies and the day to day running of the White House.
Diandra's Past Staff Picks
ElizabethCrazy Rich Asians
Kevin Kwan
When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country's most eligible bachelor. On Nick's arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.
Elizabeth says: If you are like me and love rich people problems, then I’ve got a book for you. This book is so entertaining and funny I loved every minute of it.
Also available in: ebook & audiobook
Elizabeth's Past Staff Picks
MeganMy Cousin Rachel
Daphne du Maurier
Orphaned at an early age, Philip Ashley is raised by his benevolent older cousin, Ambrose. Resolutely single, Ambrose delights in Philip as his heir, and Philip grows to love Ambrose's grand estate as much as he does. But the cozy world the two constructs is shattered when Ambrose sets off on a trip to Florence. There he falls in love and marries a mysterious distant cousin named Rachel and there he dies suddenly. Jealous of his marriage, racked by suspicion at the hints in Ambrose's letters, and grief-stricken by his death, Philip prepares to meet his cousin's widow with hatred in his heart. But when she arrives at the estate, Rachel seems to be a different woman from the one described in Ambrose's letters. Beautiful, sophisticated, and magnetic, Philip cannot help but feel drawn to Rachel. And yet, questions still linger: might she have had a hand in Ambrose's death? And how, exactly, did Ambrose die? As Philip pursues the answers to these questions, he realizes that his own fate could hang in the balance.
Megan Says: When arrogance, obsession and jealousy collide, reality becomes greatly distorted. Then if you add in a compulsive, manipulative and emotional personality, disaster has to be the order of the day. This novel is beautifully written with du Maurier’s classic dark undertones. My Cousin Rachel will have you captivated until the bitter end.
Also available in: ebook
Megan's Past Staff Picks Daphne du Maurier
Orphaned at an early age, Philip Ashley is raised by his benevolent older cousin, Ambrose. Resolutely single, Ambrose delights in Philip as his heir, and Philip grows to love Ambrose's grand estate as much as he does. But the cozy world the two constructs is shattered when Ambrose sets off on a trip to Florence. There he falls in love and marries a mysterious distant cousin named Rachel and there he dies suddenly. Jealous of his marriage, racked by suspicion at the hints in Ambrose's letters, and grief-stricken by his death, Philip prepares to meet his cousin's widow with hatred in his heart. But when she arrives at the estate, Rachel seems to be a different woman from the one described in Ambrose's letters. Beautiful, sophisticated, and magnetic, Philip cannot help but feel drawn to Rachel. And yet, questions still linger: might she have had a hand in Ambrose's death? And how, exactly, did Ambrose die? As Philip pursues the answers to these questions, he realizes that his own fate could hang in the balance.
Megan Says: When arrogance, obsession and jealousy collide, reality becomes greatly distorted. Then if you add in a compulsive, manipulative and emotional personality, disaster has to be the order of the day. This novel is beautifully written with du Maurier’s classic dark undertones. My Cousin Rachel will have you captivated until the bitter end.
Also available in: ebook
NinaAmerican Demon
Kim Harrison
What happens after you've saved the world? Well, if you're Rachel Mariana Morgan, witch-born demon, you quickly discover that something might have gone just a little bit wrong. That the very same acts you and your friends took to forge new powers may have released something bound by the old. With a rash of zombies, some strange new murders, and an exceedingly mysterious new demon in town, it will take everything Rachel has to counter this new threat to the world and it may demand the sacrifice of what she holds most dear.
Nina says: The itchy witch is back. Along with Al, Trent, Jenks, Ivy, and a few new faces that are just as endearing. If you’re a long-time fan, even with the clever recap prologue you may feel the need to re-read earlier books to get the full emotional impact early on. But as the story settles in, there are plenty of feels to go around and engrossing writing that had readers wanting more. If you’re new, this isn’t the place to jump in, but the series is still fresh and worth starting (Dead Witch Walking is book one). So what is The Hollows series and Rachel Morgan like? Think zany antics of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum with more bite (no pun intended), magic, and character growth.
Also available in: ebook
Nina's Past Staff Picks